Full name: DeDreana Freeman
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: DeDreanaFreeman.com
1) In 300 words or less, please give our readers your elevator pitch: Why are you running? Why should voters entrust you with this position? What prior experience will make you an effective member of the Durham City Council?
I’m running for re-election to the Durham City Council because I believe in a Durham where every resident no matter their zip code, income, or background has the right to thrive. As a Black woman representing East Durham, I’ve seen firsthand both the pain of displacement and the power of community. I bring lived experience, professional expertise, and nearly eight years of service on council and over 15 years fighting for justice and equity.
I’ve delivered results: strengthening protections for renters, pushing for investment in historically underserved neighborhoods, and standing firm for working families, seniors, and children. I’ve led with courage, even when it meant standing alone, because I know our community deserves leadership that doesn’t back down.
Voters should entrust me with this position because I don’t just talk about equity, I live it. My work is grounded in partnerships, policy, and persistence. From housing affordability to economic justice to environmental resilience, I have the experience, relationships, and proven record to continue moving Durham forward.
I’m committed to serving Durham with sincer compassion, vision, and love.
My focus remains Social, Economic and Environmental Justice for a just and fair Durham With Priorities in:
Housing & Displacement: Protecting affordable housing, expanding tenant rights, and prioritizing housing as a human right, not a commodity.
Economic Justice: Supporting working families with fair wages, small business protections, and policies that reduce the burden on seniors and renters.
Community Safety & Care: Investing in community-based safety, mental health, and violence prevention alongside policing, so every neighborhood is safer.
Open space and Park: Protecting natural areas, expanding park access, and ensuring every neighborhood has access to safe green spaces.
2) What would your priorities be as a member of the city council? Please identify three of the most pressing issues Durham currently faces and how you believe the city should address them.
Durham is at a crossroads. We can let the market and outside forces dictate our future, or we can center people and build a city rooted in care, safety, and opportunity. I’m committed to the latter and to serving Durham with integrity, vision, and love.
My focus remains Social, Economic and Environmental Justice for a just and fair Durham with priorities:
Housing & Displacement: Protecting affordable housing, expanding tenant rights, and prioritizing housing as a human right, not a commodity.
Economic Justice: Supporting working families with fair wages, small business protections, and policies that reduce the burden on seniors and renters.
Community Safety & Care: Investing in community-based safety, mental health, and violence prevention alongside policing, so every neighborhood is safer.
Open space and Park: Protecting natural areas, expanding park access, and ensuring every neighborhood has access to safe green spaces.
3) What’s the best or most important thing the Durham City Council has done in the past year? Additionally, name a decision you believe the city should have handled differently. Please explain your answers.
It’s hard to pick just one thing, but outside of our city’s ongoing investments in affordable housing and community-centered safety strategies, the most significant achievement in the past year has been the successful passage of the $200 million Connecting Durham bond referendum. This includes $85 million for Parks and Recreation projects and another bond for streets and sidewalks improvements that is an unprecedented investment in our city’s infrastructure I have been advocating for since 2018.
These bonds prioritize underinvested areas and accelerate long-needed capital improvement. Parks and Recreation Bond | Durham, NC As these investments rollout in neighborhoods across the city pardon the interruption of traffic flow but it’s definitely worth it. as the voters and council have worked together to expand our Capital Improvement Plan capabilities by getting the Park and sidewalks bond on the ballot and passed so more projects can occur now because the price of these projects continues to rise with projects rolling like:
Equitable and Green Infrastructure (EGI) Traffic Calming Project – traffic calming project in 7 historically underserved neighborhoods throughout Durham.
Roadway Resurfacing Design Projects improve mobility and connectivity for people who walk, bike, use transit, and drive. Resurfacing is an opportunity to restripe roadways to improve safety for people who walk, bike, use transit, and drive. Resurfacing occurs on State and City-owned and maintained roadways to improve and preserve pavement conditions.
Morreene Road – American Drive Roundabout- roundabout at the intersection of Morreene Road and American Drive to improve safety and slow traffic.
Where we’ve fallen short is in protecting residents from displacement. Too often, developers have more influence on outcomes than communities do, and that balance must change. I’ve voted “no” on several rezonings because I felt the community benefits didn’t go far enough. Municipalities have real leverage through zoning, land use, and subsidies, and we should use every tool available like community benefit agreements, better inclusionary zoning requests, stronger oversight of public-private partnerships to ensure development serves current residents, not just outside investors.
To me, equitable development means building for justice, not just growth. It means centering Black and Brown communities and longtime residents in planning decisions, guaranteeing long-term affordability, creating living wage jobs, protecting green space, and ensuring infrastructure strengthens neighborhoods rather than destabilizes them. Growth should reduce inequality, not widen it. That’s what I’ll continue fighting for.
4) President Trump is working to ramp up deportations and curtail visas. At the same time, the state legislature has passed laws requiring cooperation with ICE. What do you think Durham officials can or should do to ensure safe, welcoming communities for immigrants in light of these policies?
Living in a country built on stolen Indigenous land and the free labor of kidnapped and enslaved Africans, I understand what is at stake when laws are unjust and inhumane. Durham must remain a welcoming community for all residents, ensuring no one is torn from their family, friends, or neighbors. Our collective liberation is tied together. That’s why I support immigrant advocacy and mutual aid groups—not only through funding, but also by providing space, information, and partnerships.
Recently, my colleagues and I adopted the 4th Amendment Workplace Resolution to ensure city policies uphold constitutional protections against overreach, particularly from ICE. We are training staff on their rights, requiring judicial warrants for entry, and calling on the City Attorney’s Office to file FOIA requests to monitor ICE activity in Durham.
Though state law (HB 10) places limits on local authority, I will continue advocating for change at the state level while taking every possible local action:
Pressuring schools, hospitals, and faith communities to deny ICE access without a warrant.
Prohibiting local agencies from collecting immigration status unless legally required.
Opposing contracts with ICE, CBP, or U.S. Marshals at our jails.
Ensuring all city services remain accessible to all residents, regardless of status.
I will also continue challenging Durham’s unjust “sanctuary jurisdiction” designation and work to build community safety rooted in trust, not fear.
5) Federal funding cuts this year have hit the Triangle particularly hard, from canceled grants to layoffs, and local government officials are having to make difficult decisions about what to fund and how. What are your ideas for how the city can prioritize competing funding needs, close funding gaps, and balance the financial burden on residents?
Federal funding cuts have hit Durham hard, and our city must be strategic, transparent, and equity-focused in how we respond. My approach has three parts:
Prioritize Core Services and Vulnerable Communities – Essential services like housing, transit, sanitation, and public safety must remain strong. When resources are limited, we should prioritize funding that protects seniors, people living on fixed low- income, renters, working families, and historically underinvested neighborhoods.
Close Gaps Through Diversified Funding – We can expand partnerships with universities, philanthropy, and the private sector, while aggressively pursuing state and federal competitive grants. Durham should also explore innovative financing tools such as public-private partnerships, social impact bonds, and additional green infrastructure funding to fill gaps without raising the tax burden.
Reduce the Burden on Residents – Instead of shifting cuts onto families already struggling, we should expand low-income tax relief, senior exemptions, and utility assistance programs. We can also explore efficiency audits and shared services across city departments to reduce costs while maintaining quality.
In short, Durham’s budget choices must reflect our values: we cannot balance the books on the backs of those with the least. By protecting core services, pursuing diverse funding sources, and shielding residents from added strain, we can weather these cuts and keep building a just, fair, and resilient Durham.
6) As climate change leads to more intense rainfall, communities are at greater risk of inland flooding, such as the historic floods in parts of the Triangle caused by Tropical Storm Chantal in July. How would you like Durham to address climate resilience, particularly flooding?
Durham must take a proactive approach to climate resilience, especially as flooding becomes more frequent and severe. My priorities include:
Flood Preparedness & Infrastructure: Strengthen stormwater systems, upgrade culverts, and restore natural floodplains to absorb excess water. Invest in green infrastructure like rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavement to reduce runoff and mitigate localized flooding.
Emergency Preparedness & Response: Expand Durham’s emergency response capacity with stronger coordination between city, county, and state systems. Ensure that vulnerable neighborhoods—often those historically underinvested in—have access to early warning systems, evacuation support, and post-disaster recovery resources.
Public Ownership & Utility Resilience: Maintain strong public ownership of water systems to safeguard residents from privatization and price hikes. At the same time, expand city-led solar installations, battery storage, and explore municipal ownership of clean energy infrastructure to ensure continuity during extreme weather events.
Climate-Resilient Planning: Continuing to advocate and create requirements for new developments to meet higher floodplain and stormwater management standards, particularly in areas most at risk. Pair this with buyout and relocation programs for households in repetitive loss areas, ensuring residents are supported rather than displaced during resilience planning.
Durham’s long-term climate resilience depends on investing in equitable infrastructure, expanding public ownership, and centering frontline communities in preparedness planning. We must act now, the costs both financially and physically for residents will only grow. Our neighbors in Northern Durham are still trying to recover form Tropical Storm Chantel flooding and we must continue to support our neighbors on the ground.
7) Describe what sustainable growth and development mean to you. Additionally, what is another municipality you believe has made smart decisions related to growth and development that could be similarly implemented in Durham?
First and foremost, let me be clear: there is no city of our size doing better than Durham. We are Bull City Strong! We are a leader in smart, people-centered development. But we can still learn from what’s working elsewhere. For example:
Wendell has made intentional choices to integrate parks and trails directly into new developments, ensuring growth comes with community benefits.
Cary has invested heavily in its downtown park system, showing the value of central green spaces that create gathering spots for residents and boost local economies.
Holly Springs has prioritized multi-use athletic fields, raising the bar on recreational infrastructure.
Wake County has taken a countywide approach to sustainability, highlighting that “open spaces, parks, greenways, farmlands, and forests offer a sanctuary for biodiversity, a buffer against climate change, and a haven for mental and physical well-being.”
Looking at master-planned communities in our region like Briar Chapel, Chatham Park, and Wendell Falls, there are lessons about balancing housing, energy efficiency, and green space. While not all of these meet the affordability goals we need, they offer models for trail systems, eco-friendly design, and integrating solar energy.
Durham has the chance to lead by combining those lessons with our own values: expanding affordable housing, strengthening mass transit and bike/pedestrian infrastructure, and protecting our natural environment. Partnerships with research and policy leaders such as the Duke Affordable Housing Strategic Council and NC State University’s Affordable Housing + Sustainable Communities Initiative could help Durham innovate further.
Recent state-level initiatives like the NC Outdoor Recreation Plan (2025–2030) and the NC Outdoor Economy Office also show the potential for Durham to invest in responsible outdoor recreation that boosts both quality of life and our local economy.
Sustainable growth for Durham means ensuring development is equitable, climate-resilient, and community-driven, so that in 2050 and beyond, the Bull City is a place where everyone can thrive.
8) Downtown Durham continues to see growth, with large commercial developments and hundreds of new housing units, yet businesses say they’re still suffering. How would you reinvigorate this major business district?
Downtown Durham is growing rapidly, but growth doesn’t always equal prosperity for everyone. Too many small businesses, especially Black- and Brown-owned businesses are being squeezed out while large developers profit. To reinvigorate downtown, I will focus on building a resilient and inclusive business ecosystem that supports local entrepreneurs, protects cultural anchors, and ensures that residents actually benefit from downtown’s growth. This means:
Expanding small business support programs with grants, low-interest loans, and technical assistance. Partnering with local state and national community development institutions to bring capitial access our local business owners need.
Rebalancing incentives so they prioritize community benefits—like affordable retail space, local hiring, and living-wage jobs—over corporate subsidies.
Preserving affordability downtown through anti-displacement strategies for small businesses and mixed-income housing requirements.
Investing in placemaking and safety to keep downtown welcoming and vibrant, with better lighting, pedestrian/bike access, and cultural programming that reflects Durham’s diversity.
My vision is for a downtown where businesses and residents thrive together—not just a playground for developers, but the beating heart of an equitable Durham.
9) The City of Durham is realigning its homelessness services. What can or should the city be doing to support this growing population, especially in light of recent changes to state law governing encampments and financial pressures on service providers?
I am proud to have worked with my Council colleagues to introduce and prioritize Durham’s Strategic Plan to End Homelessness in this year’s budget. This effort didn’t emerge passively, it happened because of our leadership and the advocacy of community partners. While Durham has many dedicated service providers, it is time for the city to step up as the lead convener and coordinator so that our limited resources are used most effectively.
Supporting people experiencing homelessness means more than short-term shelter – it requires housing services, day centers, and pathways back to stability. I will continue to urge the city and county to support the work of Urban Ministries and partners to create a new day services center on Main Street, coupled with resources that help residents transition into permanent housing.
We must also address root causes of housing insecurity: adopting a Tenant Bill of Rights, expanding ownership opportunities for long-time and low-income residents, and building community wealth to prevent displacement. By investing in housing, transportation, and supportive services, we can ensure Durham’s most vulnerable residents are not left behind – even under North Carolina’s restrictive state laws on encampments.
10) According to the Triangle Community Foundation, there’s a mismatch between the price point of housing units available in Durham and what Durham renters can afford, amounting to a nearly 25,000-unit deficit for low-income renters. What can the city do to ensure Durham housing is affordable for current and future residents?
Durham does face a nearly 25,000-unit deficit for low-income renters, and the city must act boldly for low income renters. Every development project in Durham should include truly affordable housing – PERIOD. We must hold developers accountable while also leveraging city-owned land, county partnerships, and collaboration with Durham Public Schools to create deeply affordable units and make sure development is not adding a burden on our tax payers.
Also housing affordability is about more than rent. Keeping fare-free buses, expanding safe bike and pedestrian routes, and lowering transportation costs provide immediate relief. Long-term, Durham must continue to lead with its livable wage, push for statewide efforts to raise wages, and confront the historic inequities that have excluded Black and Brown families from housing stability and wealth-building.
Lastly I would continue to support implementing stronger tenant protections, a deeper assessment of the housing types we need, and increased public investments. Decades of stagnant wages, soaring real estate values, disinvestment in public housing, and insufficient subsidies have left too many without options. Durham must prioritize housing justice to ensure all residents can remain and thrive here.
11) For some residents, gun violence remains a persistent issue even though shootings and other violent crimes are currently down from last year. How would you rate the progress the city has made and what are your ideas for improving public safety?
Any life lost to gun violence is one too many. While it is encouraging that shootings and violent crimes are down from last year, we cannot measure the progress only by numbers. These reductions reflect the tireless work of many grassroots partners like Durham TRY, Hayti Reborn Justice Movement, Sidekicks Academy, RNS Project 300, and many other organizations providing peer-to-peer support and resources for our children and families. Their efforts show that true safety comes from strong, supported communities.
At the same time, we must be honest: the mass displacement of Black and Brown residents which are driven by gentrification with rising costs of housing and rapid redevelopment, including DHA projects that have not been completed as residents rely on private landlords for housing have also shifted some of the violence. This displacement however, further undermines our community stability and deepens inequities. If we want lasting community safety, we have to continue with intentionality to address the root causes: intergenerational poverty, housing insecurity, and the lack of shared prosperity with a lens of equity on a regional level. My approach would continue to center those investments in community-based safety, expanding youth opportunities, and economic justice alongside community based mutual aid and public safety, so that every Durham neighborhood can truly thrive.
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